Today, I’m going to respond to a question from the reddit reflux forums about the EGD. It’s a question I had myself—and one I’ve received many times. It also comes up in chat groups quite often, so I think you’ll find my response useful.
But I’d much rather answer your questions, so stick around to the end and I’ll explain how you can get yours featured on the show.
Here’s the original question from BoringSilver7978:
So BoringSilver’s doctor suggests an upper endoscopy, and she’s left thinking… is this necessary? Or is it just another test that won’t change anything?
If you’ve been there—or you’re there right now—my responses is for you.
Let’s start by breaking down some of her comments. She says:
“I don’t get heartburn or experience any pain with it, but I do feel stomach acid coming up my throat often. I also burp often as well.”
She’s describing something that might sound familiar. No heartburn. But acid is coming up the throat. Frequent burping. I’d guess she also experiences coughing, voice issues, and post-nasal drip.
That was me. I had what’s often called silent reflux, or LPR—laryngopharyngeal reflux. And let me tell you, in its advanced stages, it is far worse than traditional reflux and GERD—even though it doesn’t come with the burning chest pain most people expect.
“Even if I eat later than usual or skip a meal I experience AR. And of course, lay down after I eat.”
Here’s another pattern I see a lot: reflux that flares when you eat too late or lie down too soon after eating. At its core, reflux is a digestive issue. When digestion slows—whether from stress, low stomach acid, or acid blockers—your stomach stays fuller longer. That creates pressure, and that pressure pushes things upward.
Lying down on a full stomach makes it much easier for acid to escape into your throat. If you’re dealing with reflux, it’s usually best to wait at least 2–4 hours after eating before lying down—especially at night. It also helps to sleep on your left side, since that position keeps the stomach lower than the esophagus and uses gravity to keep acid where it belongs.
“My mother also has horrible acid reflux… my dad has esophageal stricture.”
Now we’ve got a family history. One parent with severe reflux, the other with esophageal stricture. I used to think reflux ran in my family, too. But here’s what I’ve learned: family history doesn’t always mean genetics.
We share microbes. We share habits. We share diets. If you grew up in a household where antibiotics were common, sugar or fried food intake was high, or meals were rushed and stressful—those are all things that can throw off your gut health. I was on antibiotics for six months due to a TB skin test. I’m convinced it was one of several things that kicked off my reflux journey.
“I went to a doctor recently who wants to do an upper endoscopy… I’m curious to see the cause of my AR and if it has caused any damage.”
EGD Medical Test
So let’s talk about the endoscopy—what it is, what it shows, and whether it’s worth it.
EGD In Medical Terms
An upper endoscopy (or EGD) is a visual inspection of your esophagus, stomach, and the top of your small intestine. It’s used to check for things like inflammation, esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus, gastritis, ulcers, polyps, and infections like H. pylori. They’ll also point out a hiatal hernia if they see it. If anything looks abnormal, they can take a biopsy to test for cancer, bacteria, or other issues.
When I had mine, they found three things: a hiatal hernia, mild gastritis, and polyps. The polyps are a known side effect of long-term acid blocker use. I was told those meds would help prevent throat cancer—no one mentioned they could increase my risk for stomach cancer. Needless to say, I was pretty upset when I found out about this.
Looking back, there’s something else they didn’t tell me: the EGD wouldn’t change the treatment plan at all.
No matter what they find, the options are usually one of four things:
1 Increase your acid blockers. Most of these are available over the counter, and doctors often raise the dose without needing a scope.
2 Prescribe antibiotics if they detect H. pylori—but that can also be diagnosed with a breath or stool test, no scope needed.
3 Recommend surgery if there’s a hernia or structural issue. But hernias are incredibly common, and most people who have them don’t experience reflux.
4 Prescribe prokinetics if they suspect slow gastric emptying—but those meds can come with intense side effects (like men producing breast milk, no joke).
“I don’t want to be sedated at all. Does anyone have any advice, recommendations? Is it worth it to see or should I cancel it and just go back if it worsens?”
When this question popped up, I looked through the replies. Three people responded, all of them dealing with reflux for decades—and all of them had multiple EGDs. And yet? They’re still dealing with the same symptoms. Still searching for answers. That really drives home my point.
One wrote:
“I now know I had a silent form of acid reflux since my 20s… I hate to see anyone else end up with unnecessary damage and suffering! For myself personally, I’ve had sinus issues all my life, some sort of eustachian tube dysfunction, including postnasal drip. I’ve read the two can go hand in hand so I believe the sinus problems either caused or contributed to the severity of my acid reflux / GERD.”
Multiple EGDs—and still no resolution.
Another said:
“I’ve had 3 so far, got to get a 4th soon… Trust your medical professionals… this is just my opinion.”
Four scopes later, and still in the same boat.
And one more shared:
“My brother did this year. He’s had [reflux] since childhood… Based on this diagnostic, he got meds that actually work!”
But again—same meds, no new discoveries. No new tools.
These tests are really good at confirming damage, but rarely uncover something that changes the course of treatment. The toolkit doesn’t expand—you’re still looking at the same four options. And most of those decisions can be made without the scope.
Many people are sent home with a clean bill of health, suggesting they don’t even have reflux because they don’t have any signs of acid damage. But that’s garbage, it just reinforces the limitations of the test.
After the EGD
But here’s something else you should know: EGDs aren’t risk-free.
Some people deal with lingering sore throats, hoarseness, or difficulty swallowing afterward. Others have bloating or stomach irritation. These effects are most often short lived, but not always. In rare cases, more serious complications can happen—like tissue damage.
And because scopes are reused—yes, cleaned, but reused—there’s a small but real risk of infection, including antibiotic-resistant strains, passing an h-pylori or c-diff infection from one reflux patient to the next. It’s rare, but it happens. You deserve full disclosure before being sedated.
Knowing what I know now, if it were me—and unless I were in pain or showing red-flag symptoms—I wouldn’t get an EGD. It rarely brings new answers that lead to a more personalized treatment plan.
That’s the key. It confirms the presence of damage, if it exists, but it doesn’t explain why the damage is happening.
And if you’re like most people I talk to, what you really want is to fix what’s causing the reflux—not just document the symptoms. That’s where root-cause healing comes in: indigestion, infection, and inflammation. Those are the big three. And when you address them directly, that’s when symptoms start to shift.
So if it were me, knowing what I know now—and I wasn’t in pain—I wouldn’t get the endoscopy. I’d start working on digestion, reducing inflammation, and supporting my gut instead.
I hope this gave you some clarity and encouragement. But if you still have questions, you might check out my “Why an EGD with Bravo Might Miss Your Real Problem” post. At the very least, I hope I gave you some good questions to ask your doctor. You’re not crazy. And you may not need to go under to find your next step.
If you’ve got a question you’d like answered on the podcast, I’d love to hear from you. Just head to the show notes or visit my site. You can send an email or even leave me a voicemail. And who knows? I might feature your voice on the next episode.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult your physician for personalized care.
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